Tandleman's Beer Blog

A Slippery Slope

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 14:22:00 +0000

Way back in the past I wrote about how the modern mannerism "You all right there" at the bar had become a kind of of substitute for previous greetings such as "what can I get you?" or "what would you like?" For the record, it was a short blogpost, as this one will be, and it was over fifteen years ago and, inevitably, in the way of things, it has got worse. Fifteen years ago, I was by my measure of the day an old git - and I quote myself there. Nowadays I'm an even older old git and while generally good natured, I am slightly wound up, inwardly at least by how bar staff have become even more slapdash.

I was reminded of this in no uncertain terms the other day at the bar of a local brewer's pub - not JW Lees - though their contribution to this kind of thing is not exactly an ungenerous one - but a local rival. The young woman in question approached from around fifteen or more feet away as I waited to be served at the end of the bar. No jolly repartee was expected, but I suppose deep down I had hoped, nay expected a tad more than a curt upwards nod in my direction, which I took to be an offer to trade, though expressed in somewhat minimal terms. I did not reply and we had a slight stand off. Then things looked up. "OK?" she said. To add insult to injury, I was silently presented with the card reader and before the approval had been signalled, she had returned to gossip with her fellow bar operatives, proving at least she could string a few words together when it suited her.

Now I know when I'm beaten, so I retreated to my seat to moan to E who has heard it all before. Am I wrong in this? Should I expect less these days? I was almost nostalgic for "you all right there?"

I wrote here about how different things were when I worked in the pub when God was a boy and society was totally different. That has changed and of course social media hadn't then robbed so many of us of the little sense we started out with, but the basic principles remain. The customer, especially in these difficult times, is all of the business. Treat that person with a bit of respect.

If you run a pub or bar, please reach your staff that. It really does make a difference. Especially to old gits.

Another YouTube recommendation from me. James runs and co-owns the Big Six pub in Halifax a pub I've been in and would return to in a heartbeat. His thoughts on pubs are really excellent.

It's times like this when I miss the Pub Curmudgeon.

A Marginal Existance

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 08:34:00 +0000

I was talking to a local pub landlord recently and during the conversation, was disappointed, but not surprised, how in winter particularly, when it is pissing down as it often has been in recent months, just how many times he had to make recourse to his reserves to pay the bills as the pub was so empty. Now you might liken this a bit like when you pay your monthly ransom to the power companies, using the excess built up in the so called warm months, to offset the cost in the chilly winter months, which if you are like me, you'll consider that is most of them. But you'd be wrong. it isn't really like that. Let's have a look at it.

It’s Friday night, the local is packed. The place is going like a fair and the atmosphere is just what you want on a good night out. To the casual observer, it looks like a gold mine. You’d be forgiven for thinking the landlord is currently scouting for a second home in Marbella. But talk to anyone behind the pumps, and you’ll find a much grimmer reality. The "busy pub" is becoming a bit of a mathematical mirage. Here is the sobering truth about why that bustling atmosphere isn’t making the boss a fortune.

Input Costs

While the price of a pint has crept up toward the £6 or £7 mark (and beyond in that there London), the landlord isn’t seeing the benefit of that extra few quid. He or she has to think about the fixed costs of the operation. That is the things that can't be avoided, or discarded:

Energy: It’s not just the lights. Cellar cooling, glass-washers, heating, kitchen appliances are all energy-hungry beasts. For many, standing charges and unit rates have doubled or tripled since 2022. And nobody wants a cold pub, though you like me, will have noticed plenty of times when the pub isn't as warm as it should be. If your pub is cold, it is likely that cost which makes it so.

The Beer: Barley, hops, wages and more suffer from inflation too. Brewers have had to pass on their own rising costs, meaning the "wet rent" (the price the pub pays for the cask or keg of beer has continually increased to its present high level..

The Chancellor's Cut: This is where things really bite. The UK has some of the highest Beer Duty rates in Europe. When you buy a pint, you’re effectively paying a stealth tax. and unlike the supermarket where you buy your cans of lager, pubs have to pay 20% VAT on every pint, snack and plate of chips sold.

Business Rates: The system is archaic. Pubs are often taxed based on their "fair maintainable trade" (basically, how much they could make), which penalises successful, busy locals. It also makes the somewhat unrealistic assumption of how much of turnover is profit.

Dry Rent: What you pay to occupy the building. Typically, there will be an initial deposit then a monthly rent, agreed for (say) a three to five year term.

The Minimum Wage & Staffing Costs: Nobody should grudge hardworking bar staff a decent wage, but it all costs. A busy pub needs bodies. With the National Living Wage rightly increasing to support workers, the wage bill for a fully-staffed shift has ballooned and of course, that doesn't just apply to busy Fridays. The irony is that to serve the crowd that makes the pub feel alive, you have to hire more staff, which often eats the very profit those customers are generating.

Back to my landlord friend. Everything costs more he tells me and people need to be enticed out of their homes to come to the pub. A musician for example, will often attract customers and fill the pub, but the £300/£400 bill for that needs a hell of lot more drinks to be sold, just to break even. It is done though to make the pub more attractive, and in the hope the customer will like it and come again at other times, but ......

Supermarkets- the elephant in the room: One of Tim Martin of Wetherspoon's pet hates, this is where the "pre-drink" or "instead of" culture is the enemy of margin. In the 90s, the gap between a supermarket beer and a pub pint was a manageable jump. Being very old, I can remember when that gap was tiny and hardly game changing. Today, it’s a veritable chasm. If a customer stays for two pints instead of four, either because they can't afford more, or because they drank a cheap few cans at home first (or intend to after) to offset high pub prices, the pub still has to pay the same fixed costs for the heating, the live band and everything else.

And then there is food. Pubs often rely heavily on food sales to survive, but food carries additional and higher overheads - chefs, wastage, supply chains with their own struggles - and of course VAT. No wonder so many have decided that game isn't worth the candle, but maybe, looking on the bright side, the pub snack may make a comeback as seems to be happening in some cases? Filled rolls and Scotch eggs anyone?

Margins in the hospitality industry used to hover around 10% to 15%. Now, many independent publicans are operating on a knife-edge of 3% to 5%. One broken glass-washer or gas boiler, or a quiet rainy midweek is enough to wipe out the profit from a successful weekend. While brewery owned pubs and national chains have different issues, it all is very costly for them too. Debt is everywhere in the pub trade since the Beer Orders.

These are just some of the issues which vary from pub to pub depending on size, location, local authority, type (managed/ leased/free or whatever) and so much more, but fixed costs are a killer.

The type of beer sold has different costs and margins, so that affects things too. It all boils down to margins being squeezed and viability on a knife edge. If you can just about come down on the right side, then you are surviving at least.

So, next time you see your local packed to the rafters, don't begrudge them that extra 40p+ on a pint. Most of them aren't getting rich; they’re just trying to keep the lights on, preserve tradition and hopefully make a few bob so we all have somewhere to go when want a bit of conviviality rather than drinking alone in the house.

This is just a brief dip into what is a very complex area. Price of a pint? You tell me. It varies so much, as there are so many factors to take into account.

What is also for sure is that the drinker has to get value out of their experience too and that isn't helped by pricing them into the supermarket. The government has to make its mind up here. Do they want to preside over more and more closures? Chances are they will continue to screw hospitality and just hope for the best, so probably.

Apologies too for the Ai photo use, but I felt the Mr Macawber definition needed suitable illustration.

Another Trade Show

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 11:56:00 +0000

Like buses, they all come more or less at once. Hard on the heels of Northern Bar was the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA) big annual thrash held in the Liverpool Exhibition Centre.

SIBA BeerX 26 is a massive trade show with a beer competition, many bars featuring independent brewers from the whole country, exhibitors from the trade, industry awards, a series of talks on various beery subjects, debates, seminars and much more. SIBA describe it as "The UK's largest exhibition of brewing products and services, and a hub for brewing, education and business advice. A must-attend for the brewing industry." 

The setting on the Mersey waterfront, in a modern purpose built exhibition centre is hard to beat, and the space is big enough to be comfortable in. It is in a perfect spot when the sun shine, and on what was a lovely sunny spring day the views across the shimmering river to the 'Birkenhead Navy', made everything pleasant and worth the early start.

I wasn’t there just to drink beer - I was judging in the beer competition. I’ve judged for SIBA before and, despite filling in a form about experience and preferences, the final allocations always feel a bit like a lottery. Actually, I'm not really sure the information you give beforehand is used to its full. Eager to see what we’d been assigned, my fellow judges and I registered: I and one friend had two panels each, while the other friend, to his surprise, had three plus the final. With that settled, we had an hour to wander, catch up with people and take stock. The bar setup was excellent - keg and cask beers were clearly displayed and attractively arranged. As a former Beer Festival Organiser, my critical eye couldn't fault it all. That done, we bought beer vouchers for later and reported for duty.

I judged American Keg Pale Ales which were, frankly, a bit of a mixed bag. We reported one "ringer" a New Zealand hopped wheat beer - dunno what happened to that. My second panel was porters and stouts including nitro. Way better, but then again it is easier to hide faults in a dark beer - and we caught out a couple. Some crackers though which was a bonus.

We finished by drinking a lot of beer with people we knew. That's the beauty of these gigs, you always meet up with friends and acquaintances. It was good to see Ed Wray - the Beerfather - and I had a quick chat with Laura Hadland. My mate Matt Curtis was there and lots from the North West beer community from brewers, to judges and all sorts in between.

The value of it all? Well, it was a lot of fun, and I'm happy to get as much fun in as possible before I peg it. At my age, you don't forget that time flies and time spent with good beer and good people is time spent well.

The Birkenhead Navy, in case you wondered is the various Navy and Fleet Auxiliary ships in the Cammell Laird shipyard for various renovations and repair.

The Higsons pump clip was for sentimental purpose only. It tasted nothing like my beloved original.

I found out today that overall champion cask beer was Almasty Brewery from Newcastle with "Believe" a New England style IPA. Champion Keg was "Don't Make Me Run", an imperial stout from Lakes Brew in Kendal. Sadly, I don't think that was on my judging panel.

No prizes for guessing the two other guys in the photo, but do tell anyway.

Contrasting Beery Things

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 15:14:00 +0000

It scarcely seems like a year since I last attended the Northern Bar Show, which I reported on here. Reflecting on that, one thing for sure is at my age, that while often the hours drag, the years fly by all too quickly. I went with my old pal Graham. Manchester Central exhibition centre, the venue of this gig is where we organised the (very successful) festivals. Happy days and a great talking point when chatting to exhibitors.

This year we noted that more of the hall was being used and that it all seemed a lot more spacious which, given the hordes that attend, is a very good thing indeed. Last year I adopted a theme, but this time we just wandered aimlessly, chatting to this one and that one. There were a few highlights of course. You meet Manchester beery types and publicans in this very different environment and get a chance to talk to others from further afield. I was pleased to see JW Lees had their usual bar, though I didn't know a single person behind it. Hmm.

I also really enjoyed chatting to the guys at the Harviestoun Stand - hello Andrew - as I know the area they are based in pretty well. The beer of the day was sampled there. Ochil Lager is 4% and very decent, which isn't so easy to do at that strength. I recommend it. The Northern Ireland stand was another highlight and not just for the free Tayto crisps. Great company there and something really needs to be done about the licensing situation in NI, which seems like a right racket and is obviously holding back the development of the beer scene there.

We were given copious free samples of this and that, gifted the odd can and bottle of beer and offered snacks various, most of which we declined though I did take a mini chocolate egg as suitable sustenance for later. Who was that from? Dunno. Everyone was very pleasant, it was all well-organised and enjoyable day, rounded off by unnecessary beers in Cafe Beermoth, where, admittedly a touch worse for wear, we bumped into beer writer and all round good egg, Matt Curtis. This rounded the day off nicely, with a discussion about his new book and a reminder of the launch party, which was already in my diary. Slightly laden down with swag, an Uber home was definitely a sound investment.

By contrast, last night I presented the CAMRA Rochdale, Oldham and Bury Pub of the Year to the Fox and Pine in Oldham. Few things in CAMRA business give me more pleasure than presenting awards to publicans. The Fox is a worthy winner given the very stiff competition we are fortunate to have in our Branch area. One thing to note is that despite CAMRA's so-called decline, everyone who wins an award is rightly proud as punch. It matters to them. It is recognition of effort. Why not call in to the Fox and check it out for yourself?

On a pissing wet night, E came along on the strict understanding that we left on the last 415 at 21.59. I'm proud and humble to say, despite the very agreeable company and top class beer, I had my raincoat on at the required time. Brownie points are always useful, though rarely acquired in my case.

I also spent time editing More Beer Magazine in a bit of a hurry, as I found the proof in my spam box, along with many others which aren't spam either. No idea how that has happened, but I bet I was at fault somehow.

Tonight I usually go to the Rose of Lancaster, but as they are all preoccupied with Cheltenham Races there, I think maybe the Ring O' Bells. Lees beers either way!

Free Houses Done Three Ways

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 15:29:00 +0000

I first mentioned the Hand and Marigold in Bermondsey last July. It is a handsome free house, and we've been a few times and like it. If you want to know a bit more about it, I suggest you read this piece from the Southwark News which lays out the story of the pub's resurrection in excellent detail.

The pub itself is handsome, well laid out inside and the staff in my experience are helpful. Glasses are oversized ensuring a full pint and the cask beer is well-chosen, and by and large has been in very good condition when we've visited. Perhaps it is the times we've chosen, but it hasn't been very busy when we call in, but us being a bit older (ahem) it tends to be during the day. They are however extending it by opening a room downstairs, so hopefully it is doing fine. One observation is that twice we've called in winter and both times the pub has been pretty cold. Maybe that's a money saving exercise, but it doesn't really do it for me. I expect to be warm in the pub.

Bermondsey has its share of interesting pubs, and we are still coming to grips with them. It takes us about half an hour or forty-five minutes to walk to most parts of it, so we can get a bit of exercise too, which is good. This we did a couple of Sundays ago, and it gave us the chance to check out another pub we'd heard of - Simon the Tanner. Its website describes itself as a "dinky destination for quality and relaxed vibes in Borough, Bermondsey and London Bridge." Well, it can't really be in all three, but I can see what they are driving at. CAMRA's review of it is slightly more down to earth "In a quiet road off busy Bermondsey Street, the Simon is a mid-terrace, modestly sized Grade II-listed pub. A former Shepherd Neame outlet, it is now a free house. The three regularly changing real ales are from small breweries, and there is sometimes also real cider."

It was around four o'clock when we popped in and the place was fairly quiet. The welcome was friendly, and I was offered tasters of the cask beers on offer, before settling on that rarest of beasts, a cask dark mild. On a fairly cold winter's day the pub was warm and cosy, though surprisingly empty given that Sunday lunches were available. Nonetheless, I liked it and I think we'll certainly be back which is recommendation enough when you think about it.

Leaving the pub, we headed back across Tower Bridge and one of our local pubs, the Sir Sydney Smith in Dock Street. This is a smashing little ex Truman's pub with a good mixed clientele. We remember the pub when we first hung about the place twenty odd years ago. Then you could have filmed Goodnight Sweetheart's pub scenes without changing much at all. It has since been sensitively modernised, but retains a very cosy and friendly feel with three cask beers. It, too, was pretty quiet, so perhaps the busyness of London pubs just doesn't extend to Sunday afternoons and early evenings? Given that quietness, I skipped the Harvey's Best and we finished our weekend with imported Bavarian Helles in the shape of Hofmeister, which was no hardship.

So there you have it. Three free houses, all with different approaches and all worth visiting. I'll take that. You should too if you are in the area.

All are good bets for decent cask ale too which is always something to look for. The Sir Sydney Smith isn't at all far from Tower Hill Tube. I don't think other than snacks you can eat at the hand and Marigold, but you certainly can at the other two.

There are plenty of other decent pubs near these pubs too, which is always worth bearing in mind.

Off Piste in Limehouse

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 16:38:00 +0000

Leaving the delightful Wilton's Music Hall, we set off along Cable Street towards Commercial Road and our planned stop at the Clement Attlee in Limehouse.

The first part of the walk passes through a mix of housing, some old and some much newer. On the way we passed several long-closed pubs. First we passed the Crown and Dolphin, which had been a pub since 1850. It finally closed in 1992 after a fire and has since been converted into flats. It is also connected to a famous murder, but you can look this up should you be interested. Not far away stands the former Cable Street Inn, once a Meux house, now operating as a rather smart bed and breakfast. Just a few steps further along, the Ship has also made the transition to residential life and is now flats.

It’s a slightly melancholy little stretch for pub spotters, but at least these buildings are still standing — which is more than can be said for many of their counterparts elsewhere in the East End.

On a cheerier note the Clement Atlee is not only still trading, but is thriving if that Saturday afternoon was anything to go by. Externally it looks fantastically old school, but inside it is much more modern. CAMRA describes it as "pleasant and inoffensive" which does sum it up. Operated by the Craft Beer Company, it offered four cask ales on this visit and a huge bank of 21 keg taps selling a variety of beers and lagers. Service was routine. No great welcome and our fellow customers were happily engrossed in their own business which is fair enough. My beer - a house beer from Kent Brewery was excellent, so I had two. E enjoyed Flensburger Pils. Again the stereotype of unfriendly Londoners was trumped when we were engaged by another couple and advised not to miss the nearby Old Ship though we would be too early for the Drag-Act Cabaret. Who could pass that kind of tip up? Not us for sure.

Set on a backstreet beside a pleasant square just off Commercial Road, the Old Ship is a classic street-corner local. There are still traces of its former Watney's ownership in the external signage giving it a slightly time-capsule feel. Inside it was absolutely packed, almost entirely with men in their fifties to seventies who, almost without exception, were enthusiastically knocking back pints of Foster’s. Clearly everyone knew everyone else. Nobody paid us much attention - but in a friendly, unbothered sort of way - and within minutes we felt part of the scene. We even found a seat in the bar area. The old-school barmaid gamely tried the handpump for Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, but without success. Clearly nobody had asked for it all afternoon. Following the Foster’s trend though was a step too far, so we settled on Camden Hells instead, which actually was pretty good.

On leaving we noticed the Queen's Head across the square, so being in that frame of mind we headed there. Alas on peering though the window, it was utterly empty, so we swerved it in favour of the Prince Regent which proved a good call. This is another corner street local. It wasn't that busy, but the landlord greeted us very warmly and a local, sitting at the bar immediately started chatting. We discussed football for a bit then got talking to two old boys seated by the door. On hearing my accent they immediately made it clear they were Still Game* lovers, and we spent ten or fifteen minutes recalling favourite bits of the show. It turned out they had gone to school together 40 odd years ago. One now lived in Derby and one in Kent, but they still meet up every month or so for a catch-up and pub crawl. A lovely tale and two very nice gents.

There was a cask beer on offer, Shep's Spitfire, but we settled on genuine Spanish lager from Victoria Malaga. A bonus was the offer of a discount, offered by the landlord showing us a board which read "Discount for Students or Over 65's.". " Do you qualify under either of these?" he asked with a grin. We stayed for two drinks at a bargain £8.78 for a pint and a half.

We headed back to Aldgate on the 15 bus. Very handy for us. It had been an interesting day out, and we learned that some great little boozers still lurk in the backstreets of the East End. More exploring is clearly required.

Having read up a little, perhaps we were a bit hasty in missing the Queen's Head. We will try it again and give it a fair chance. The photo below on the left shows what we missed in the Old Ship. Next time for sure. Sorry too for the formatting. The limits of Blogger.

* If you don't know about Still Game, you really ought to give your head a wobble.

Wilton's Music Hall

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:51:00 +0000

Wilton's Music Hall in Graces Alley, E1, is less than a five-minute walk from our London flat. It’s the oldest surviving music hall in the world and has stood in its current form since 1859. There’s also a bar selling cask beer that’s open to the public during performances.

We’ve owned our flat for 29 years and, despite always meaning to visit, we never quite got round to it. We hadn’t even walked past it. Last Saturday we finally corrected that oversight.

Just off Cable Street — where the East End fought Mosley’s fascists in the 1930s — you turn a corner and step straight into the past. it’s all a bit run-down outside, and even more so once inside: bare plaster walls, the odd bit of stone carving, and plenty of wood. It looks a relic of the past in every way, but it is fascinating. Much as we both enjoy a bit of Gilbert and Sullivan, we decided a full dose of Iolanthe wasn’t quite what we wanted that afternoon, so we popped in for a drink on our way further east. To the left of the impressive entrance doors is a sort of exhibition room cum box office and to the right the bar. It’s impressive in a slightly ramshackle, rather charming sort of way. All wooden floorboards, rickety non-matching tables and chairs with some church pew like seating round two walls. The bar itself is an ornate affair, and it serves, on this occasion at least, two Adnams beers on cask with another for a guest beer, not in use.

The clientele was quite something. As former season ticket holders at the Oldham Coliseum, they were of a type we sort of recognised; young women and men, in adventurous clothing looking as though they'd smeared themselves with superglue and dashed through a wardrobe; older, slightly unworldly types clutching paper plates of chips in one hand and a glass of wine in the other, searching fruitlessly for a seat. There wasn’t one. It was a refuge for people who appeared to have wandered in from slightly different realities.

On the beer front my Adnams Ghost Ship(in an Adnams glass) was just fine, while E appreciated her over measure Bitburger. We found a precarious spot against a wall to watch proceedings. This was about forty minutes before the performance started, and the place was busy, though mostly with wine drinkers. Then came the usual countdown, delivered by a very sultry East-European-sounding voice for the start of the performance. The room quickly emptied until we were, suddenly the last customers. As we emptied our drinks, the Front of House manager anxiously inquired if we'd missed the warning calls and seemed relieved that we hadn't. We left, leaving the bar staff to clear up chip plates, glasses and sundry debris ready for the interval and the returning patrons.

We enjoyed it a lot, though next time we’ll arrive when the doors open — if only to secure a seat. The rest was pretty well perfect.

The prices were decent too, I think around £5.50 for the Adnams and £6 something for the Bitburger. The bar staff were obliging and cheerful, happily giving me a real glass, not plastic when I mentioned I wasn't here for the performance.

Next up. Lost Pubs and Off piste in Limehouse

A Trip to Poshley

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 10:16:00 +0000

I'm a bit of a fan of the Tweedy Pubs channel on YouTube. If you haven't come across it, Tweedy is something of a pub historian, wandering around London (and occasionally further afield) exploring pub history, architecture and stories. His videos have introduced me to corners of London I'd barely thought about before, and I've quietly built up a mental list of places I'd like to visit.

Last Friday after breakfast we had a little bit of business to deal with at the nearby Nationwide Building Society, and then had planned to wander towards town. As we dithered, a bit undecided, E suggested something better why not do a Tweedy Pubs area?" Maida Vale had caught my eye in one of the videos, so that quickly became the plan. Being just opposite Aldgate station, it was easy enough to hop on the Tube. We travelled down to Baker Street and changed onto the Bakerloo Line — wonderfully rattly and gloriously old-fashioned, running the oldest trains on the network, the 1972 stock. I’ve always had a soft spot for that sort of thing, having grown up in a railway family.

Maida Vale station lies deep underground and currently has only one escalator in service. We drifted slowly upwards while watching the opposite escalator, closed for renovation, where the brave were gingerly picking their way down the steep incline to the platform. We joked about attempting the same later with a full cargo of beer aboard — though as it turned out, that particular challenge never arose.

Emerging into the daylight on rather a posh road and with a handy roadside map giving us our bearings, we set off down Elgin Avenue, along a very grand road to the proposed first stop, the Warrington Hotel. What a beauty! Grade 2 listed, with a portico entrance with imposing marble columns, the word "opulent" is the right one. I suggest you to have a look at what CAMRA says. It does it more justice than I could.

The outside of the pub had given us a foretaste and inside was even more grand. A pub though, no matter how ornate or humble, is only as good as its offering and here we were not disappointed. The landlady herself greeted us. Sharon was welcoming, friendly and happy to chat. Two cask beers were available, and I chose Twickenham Naked Ladies which was well-kept in this Good Beer Guide entry. Sharon also showed us a recently published book that mentioned the pub and outlined a suggested crawl around the local area. Most importantly, she gave us a firm recommendation: whatever we did, we shouldn't miss The Prince Alfred, just five minutes away down an even grander street than Elgin Avenue.

The walk didn't disappoint and took us in no time to the Prince Alfred, a Young's pub and again, a Grade 2 listed Victorian building. Once more I will turn to CAMRA for a full description which you can read here. The pub was fairly quiet, but we settled into one of the snugs, both of us ducking under the low "pot boys" service doors mentioned by CAMRA. Sadly, the welcome here was less than wholehearted and the beer, Young's Special in my case - Bitter was also available - was rather flat and over-vented, though the underlying taste wasn't too bad. Nonetheless, the whole experience of such an unspoilt pub was worthwhile and it may well have appealed more on a busier session.

Across the road was Real Drinks a off-licence selling wine on one side and beer on the other. You can have a drink here, either on four keg lines or from the bottle with a reasonable corkage fee. We were warmly welcomed from the barman/ shop assistant, and settled on Augustiner Edelstoff for me and Helles for E. The little space soon filled up and so jolly it was we stayed for two. Despite the location, the prices were very reasonable indeed, and the barman happily took E outside to point out some of the houses occupied by the famous. Not that the names meant much to me. All popular culture passes me by.

We decided to call it a day for the area. Our nearest tube had become Warwick Road, a few hundred yards away, thus avoiding the precipitous stairs at Maida Vale. But we weren't quite finished and it was off back to Charing Cross for some Czech beer in the highly recommended Stranded on the Strand in cental London. If you like Czech beer, offered either in UK or Czech style, this is for you. I enjoyed a couple of glasses of dark, while E had a glass of ordinary Budvar. The place was busy which was gratifying as some had forecasted it wouldn't do so well. Next was the 15 bus and back to ours for a well deserved curry on Leman Street.

So Maida Vale? We enjoyed it. The Warrington Hotel and Real Drinks offered totally different drinking experiences, but were extremely enjoyable. We missed out on others, so we'll be back. You can't say fairer than that. Recommended.

The curry was a touch confusing, as I had thought we'd agreed on a takeaway, but E thought we were eating in. We ate in! At least the flat didn't smell of curry, though our clothes did.

The Czech beer is way better in the actual Czech presentation. Don't make the mistake of ordering British style just to get a pint. Two thirds Czech is the way to go.

Rammed

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 11:45:00 +0000

We returned to London for the first time this year last Thursday afternoon. We should have been there earlier the week before, but we had overlooked the revamping of signals and track at Manchester Piccadilly, resulting in its effective closure and trains starting at Stockport. Bugger that, so we came a bit later, but as always after checking the flat, sorting out mail and whatnot, off we set for our usual first night venues. We are nothing if not creatures of habit, so first stop - the Aldgate Tap. We know the manager and the owner - both Johns - the latter of whom E had oddly bumped into the previous day in the Oxford Road Tap where she partook of refreshment before Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

Alas, it was not to be. Thursday is the new Friday for office workers in post Covid London, and despite the large outdoor drinking area (which we always avoid anyway due to smokers), the inside was bedlam. It isn't that big and with a long queue - yes a queue - at the very small bar and every inch of space taken, we decided to abandon ship. It wouldn't have been pleasant, though no doubt it was very remunerative for the various Johns.

Plan B. Just across the road is the Three Tuns. This is a nice little boozer, with from experience, a very friendly landlady and a pretty acceptable pint of Harvey's Best. My main complaint about the place is that the seating is completely of the poseur table variety, which with high stools is uncomfortable at the best of times and more so when busy. But we needn't have worried. Outside was a merry throng of office worker types and a peer through the window rewarded us with a sea of backs and no visibility of the bar whatever. Another hasty retreat was beaten.

What now? Well, one of the most attractive pubs in the area was just a few moments away. Craft Beer Co St Mary Axe is more or less under the Gherkin and internally a very appealing pub. Large windows, exposed brickwork, some lovely breweriana including both mirrors and enamels, the sort of lighting that just makes you want to stay. A good customer mix and decent mixed seating all help make for an attractive visit. What can possibly go wrong? Well, try the usually odd selection of cask beers at your peril. They are in my experience, invariably from breweries that could do with taking a serious objective look at their offerings and served poorly at top dollar. So why go at all? The ambience is just fine, and they do have London Black, albeit at a price.

The pub as always in London had quite a few standing outside, but there was a bit of room inside. We squeezed onto a table by invitation and I nipped to the bar for a London Black and a half of German pilsner for E. I then returned the bar to correct severe overcharging which I hadn't noticed at the time. As an aside, the cashless move often means a card machine being quickly thrust under your nose in a busy pub, in a way that means you often can't readily see what the charge is. The other side of the coin is it shows up instantly on my banking app, so my £15 charge for a pint and a half resulted in a £3.50 refund. Still about the priciest drinks of the weekend I believe.

Does that tale end there? Alas, no. My nitro poured London Black looked suitably Guinness like at first, but within minutes, the head had all but disappeared, leaving a flat black liquid with a thin scum of head. The gas was clearly in need of a fresh bottle or the regulator needed re-calibrating, but my heart wasn't in another complaint, so I endured, and we left as soon as we could. No amount of visual and sensory appeal can overcome poor beer.

Now one poor pint in a three pub visit isn't a good outcome, so we went back towards our flat to the pub I mentioned in my last (long ago) blog. Ye Three Lords was busy with a decent crowd, and again we were invited to share a booth. The London unfriendliness myth was being shattered and while I still didn't trust the cask, Budweiser Budvar was very tasty and provided suitable refreshment in a very pleasant and comfortable atmosphere, which when you boil it down, is the name of the game.

So, what do I conclude? Beer in London is still variable in quality. Some pubs are better than others - much like anywhere - and Londoners aren't that miserable, a theme that was repeated and confirmed throughout the weekend. Prices are ouchy and Thursday is indeed the new Friday. With that settled we scuttled off for our usual first night in London Pizza Union evening meal.

I remarked to E while in Cask and looking at the Dryborough's mirror on the wall, that I'd bet the flat that I was the only one present that had ever drank Dryborough's beer. Hell, apart from E, probably the only one who's ever drunk Draught Bass, also represented on the brickwork. But I wouldn't have bet the flat on that!

Next up - yes there will be more, as London inspires me. Tales from Poshley aka Maida Vale coming soon.

You'll have to do without photos. I didn't take any.

A Proper Pub Once More

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 13:13:00 +0000

Years ago, we used to visit a pub at the far end of the Minories, fairly near our flat. And I mean years ago - probably fifteen or so since we last went in. Then the Three Lords was a Young's pub and I recall it being fairly traditional and selling cask beer. Over time though it was pulled apart inside and instead of a mixed clientele it became a place with a few posing tables and a mostly young after the office kind of vibe. It offered unbearable music, shoulder to shoulder standing drinkers braying at top volume, and became just the sort of place that we actively avoid. So we actively avoided it. For years and years. Though we passed it by many times, the Three Lords was dead to us. A few months ago we noticed it was closed and kind of assumed that after Covid office workers were thin on the ground and its time had passed.

Enter Will Hawkes, whose London Newsletter I subscribe to - and worthwhile it is too - who advised that the pub was undergoing renovation and would be leased (I think) to London Brewing Company. That sounded promising and a few weeks ago, we passed it, still closed but with evidence of being worked on. We kept an eye on it and I understand it opened a week or two ago, so last night we called in. I am glad to say we immediately liked it.

Now Ye Three Lords, the place is a pub again. Entry is through a kind of foyer and, depending on your point of view, it has rather subdued lighting or is a bit gloomy. To the right is a long bar festooned by many taps dispensing London Brewing's keg offerings and others. In the middle is a set of wickets with, on this visit, four cask beers on offer. On the left are sets of comfortable banquette type seating set to face each other, with some room dividers nicely breaking up the space. Walls are painted black, dark grey or dark blue. In the circumstances, it was hard to tell. Ceiling lights and bar lights are fabulous and look as though they cost a bob or two. The bar back sports spirits and is mirrored and looks good. The pub was warm on a cold evening, and the staff - obviously new - easily outnumbered the customers. We counted six behind the bar at one point. With a boss hovering about and two chefs in the kitchen, more customers are certainly needed to make that equation add up, but let's assume this was for training purposes. It is early days.

As I surveyed the beers, I was offered tasters. Naturally, I tried the "best" bitter first, which wasn't to my taste at all. Slightly spicy with woody Fuggles dominating, it was, shall we say, typically Southern in profile. I had a taste of the Ruby Mild and settled for a pint. At 3.4% it was fine, but no more. Clean with berry notes, but unremarkable. Without tasting, I ordered a pint of 100 Oysters a 4.6% stout which was, seemingly, Champion Beer of London in 2023. It was pretty black and like the mild, clean, which I like, but was undistinguished. Even with better conditioning and a tight sparkler, I doubt if its game could be raised much higher. Its champion status may well tell you more about the competition than the beer itself.

In summary, the cask beers were clean, but hardly raised the spirits. This was just ordinary. They lacked that peak of conditioning that sets things apart, but frankly you'll never do great things from these beers. They do sell Budvar, which E had, so who knows, that may have to be my tipple there and maybe the keg stuff is worthwhile? We shall see. The tables all had menus and beer and price lists on them. A big tick there. All prices, including the beers were clearly listed, and I'd say were fair for the area.*

I think there was no more than six or seven customers in and lacked atmosphere, but clearly on a busier night, it may have felt better. I’m told the downstairs area is rather swanky, but we didn't go there or to the toilets, so no comment on those.

So, will we come back again? Yes. Overall, we liked it. It was comfortable, we enjoyed the background music which had actual words in it, the layout, the bar and the lovely lights. Was the welcome warm? Initially yes, but the person who served me hadn't passed his warmth on to his many colleagues, but, as I said, early days.

To give you an idea of prices, a half of Budvar and a pint of beer - same price for both - was £8.55. To compare, a pint of Mallinsons Bitter and a half of Bitburger in the nearby Aldgate Tap was £7.80. Both were way better in the latter.

We noted the bar in Fullers Chamberlain Hotel, more or less opposite was rammed. Usually dead when we go.

Location, Location, Location

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 14:38:00 +0000

Last week, on a visit to London, we decided to walk over Tower Bridge to the Hand and Marigold in Bermonsdsey, and hence along Tooley Street to the Sun Wharf, a new Wetherspoons, in the former London Dungeon. In October the tourist hordes have died down somewhat and our walk along Royal Mint St to the rear of the controversial sometime to be Chinese embassy, was an enjoyable one as we checked out yet another high-rise building being squeezed into the smallest of spaces. On the bridge, gratifyingly, we didn't have to dodge photo taking visitors quite so much. We noted a foreign, but unidentified warship, moored to HMS Belfast and the ever-changing skyline, before walking along Tower Bridge Rd and its nose to tail city bound traffic.

I have mentioned the Hand and Marigold favourably before and, on this Thursday, late afternoon, it was very quiet. The friendly barman was line cleaning and mentioned he'd have rather a good porter on soon. Fine by me. In the meantime, a very decent pint of Lacon's Norfolk Gem was no hardship. I liked the taster I had of an Abbeydale beer a lot less and disagreed mildly with mine host about its distinct but denied whiff of vinegar, but all was redeemed by the aforementioned porter, Abyss from Other World Brewing, which hails from near Edinburgh it seems. This was an absolute belter of a beer. Highly recommended, as is the pub.

Moving on along Tooley Street, the Shipwright's Arms may be located in a bustling and increasingly refined area, but it still maintains more than a touch of its working-class roots.

Inside, the atmosphere is lively, with a mix of commuters and local characters - geezers if you will - mingling around the large circular bar. The traditional woodwork and tiled shipbuilding murals add to the appeal of this classic pub. Outside, in that peculiar London way, we noted drinkers spilling out onto the streets, opting to stand and drink on the pavement rather than squeeze into the packed indoor seating. The whole thing, inside and out, was going like a fair. It was good to see.

Of course, into each life a little rain must fall. There were three cask beers. Doom Bar and its stablemate Sea Fury along with Southwark Brewing's London Pale Ale which I had (in an abomination of a Sharp's branded glass) and found thin, weedy, and pretty flat. This was a shame, but this pub is better than its beer choice and was enjoyable despite it.

And so to our destination. Just past London Bridge Station which is in itself a railway wonder of the world and sharing its arches, is JDW's newest London pub - well probably - the Sun Wharf. Inside this is a maze of separate areas which are served by one large and long bar. You could easily get lost inside, though, so packed it was. Exploring was rather difficult, and I'm pretty sure given there was more than one entrance, that I must have missed bits of it. Service was good, though, and I noted that a couple of staff seemed to have been allocated solely to bring glasses back for washing and to clear and wipe tables. Given the throng inside, they were needed. I had an excellent pint of Buckingham Best, which of course had gone off when I returned for another.

There is little doubt that the Sun Wharf will succeed. It is in a prime position, has more passing trade than you could shake a stick at, and is reasonably priced. It is almost like a giant station bar. I'll still spend more time in the Hand and Marigold though.

Given the traffic, we walked back to Tandleman Towers South, thus missing out on the chance to use our bus passes. I still couldn't identify the unknown warship, given the darkness and the distance.

Unwisely, we called into the Goodman's Field as we passed. That was a bad idea, but overall, albeit by a majority, London cask passed muster.

I have had no end of trouble formatting photos in Blogger recently. It used to be easy, and now it just isn't if you want them to wrap. Apologies.

Two Cheers for Licensing Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 13:44:00 +0000

There has been much coverage in the press - almost all of it sensational - in the past few days about the Government's proposals to review and modernise the laws which govern licensing. The laws and rules have not been looked at in any great depth since the Licensing Act of 2003 which at the time was thought rather revolutionary and far-reaching, but is now seen as restrictive and over officious.

The new Labour Government set up a working group to look at how to reduce barriers in the licensing system and to examine and propose changes. It included UK Hospitality CEO Kate Nicholls, British Beer & Pub Association chair Nick Mackenzie and Night-Time Industries Association CEO Michael Kill.

The proposals are well laid out in the trade paper the Morning Advertiser which is linked. Most seem sensible and non-controversial. My comments in italics:

A one-time (twentieth anniversary) licensing condition ‘amnesty’ to modernise and streamline licences

Seems sensible

Hearings and appeals – various recommendations, including a strengthening of the objections procedure to prevent unnecessary and unsubstantiated objections

About time. Too many objections are given too much weight in decision making

Remove the hard-copy local newspaper advertising requirement

Clearly outdated and outrageously expensive to no real purpose

Improve the potential for licensed premises to better use their outside spaces by removing regulatory barriers, improving licensing decisions, simplifying processes, and achieving greater consistency

Rather than protect outside space from unwarranted intrusion, this has been used as a stick with which to stop businesses using available space and for local authorities to exercise their predilection for pettiness

Increase the maximum entitlement for Temporary Event Notices (TENs) for licensed premises (that is those with existing premises licences) to help generate new opportunities for existing businesses.

Sensible. This applies to premises only, not to personal licences which have different conditions

‘Sunset clause’ on blanket hours and other policies to avoid situations where a restrictive policy is put in place to deal with a specific issue, but the policy in effect runs forever or is continually renewed using the original out of date evidence base

This is so obvious. What happened and was appropriate years ago is often automatically included for the future, despite circumstances changing

Other measures will include a review of licensing fees, extended blanket hours for specific local events, a review of the late-night levy and removal of early morning restriction orders.

So far, so sensible. Reviewing legislation from time to time is only logical - laws need to evolve with the world they govern. Few could deny that pubs today are operating in a very different landscape to 2003, when the current Licensing Act became law. And that Act itself came after years of consultation in what already feels like another era.

What’s striking in this latest review is the number of gentle digs at Local Authorities and their often cautious stance on change. Naturally, that’s not what the headlines focused on. Even the BBC led with “longer opening hours” and the predictable link to anti-social behaviour. Meanwhile, pub owners across social media were quick to point out what’s really hurting the trade - and they’re right. Soaring inflation, rising wages, shifting consumer habits, higher taxes, sky-high utility costs, the cost-of-living crisis, and unfair competition from supermarkets all pile pressure on an already stretched industry — and that’s just the start of the list.

Still, the review itself is a step in the right direction. Although The Guardian focused wrongly on “Pubs to stay open until early hours in push for UK growth” - those extra freedoms will help. But real progress would mean tackling the everyday issues that make both running and visiting pubs increasingly uneconomic.

When I say Local Authorities can be “cautious,” perhaps that’s being kind. At times, they can be obstructive, unhelpful, even tone-deaf - though, to be fair, there are exceptions.

There isn't an end date for consultation, so don't expect to see things change immediately.

Munich Observations Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 10:54:00 +0000

Alright folks, we’ve sorted out what to drink and the limitations of Helles, Munich’s undisputed favourite. So, what’s next? Well, the obvious question: where do you actually drink it?

Now, in some German cities it can be a bit of a hunt. In places like Augsburg or Frankfurt, decent spots are few and far between, and in others – Lubeck, Wiesbaden and plenty more – the good drinking spots feel tucked away, almost like a secret. But Munich? Totally different story. Here, beer is front and centre. You’ll find bars, pubs, beer halls and gardens pretty much wherever you turn.

On our recent trip, naturally, we tried a few old favourites, though we started in a bar near our hotel. Near the main rail station, but on the nicer Northern side of it, which is a bit of a tip too. Here you can find decent mid-price hotels in a safe area and still walk to the main areas of Munich in 15-20 minutes.

First up has to be somewhere that sells Augustiner, and we of course plumped for the Augustiner Grossgaststätte, a traditional beer hall with a small courtyard beer garden - which I've never set foot in but have looked at - right in the middle of Munich's Marienplatz pedestrian zone. Here a first surprise. The name has changed, and it is now the Augustiner Stammhaus, but otherwise the same inside - a vast cavernous place, which when filled is very jolly and, even when not, great for people watching. So:

Beer Halls

Generally run by the big breweries in Munich and for indoor drinking and eating (though just drinking is very common.) When busy they have a unique atmosphere - noisy and boisterous - and when quiet, brilliant for people watching. Table service, which will often be surly or indifferent when busy, but try a bit of German when it is quiet and things will likely change. There will usually be tables outside, depending on venue. Inside you will usually find more Germans drinking, and as sharing tables is the norm, you'll usually find someone to chat to, sometimes in English, but as always a little German is appreciated. The best of them? You can't go wrong with the Stammhaus, Augustiner Brauhaus, Löwenbräu Keller, Paulaner Brauhaus, and my own favourite, the Weisses Brauhaus, and of course, the Hofbräuhaus.

The Hofbräuhaus needs a special mention. This vast hall on more than one level and an outside area is legendary. Yes, the Nazis held rallies there, but they did in many of Munich's beer halls - it is just that most where they did, either don't exist and more, or are no longer beer halls. Here on my last visit and every one before, beer was always only available in litres, but no doubt, moving with the times, half litres are now sold. My visit this time was a tad spoiled by chronic short measure and where I found out that the beer is automatically dispense to the servers by a machine in predetermined measures. A traditional band in Bavarian attire plays continuously in theory, churning out drinking tunes, but they often seem to prefer to just sit and chat unless, of course, you cross their palm with silver.

This is a place where gawping Japanese (and other) tourists will wander in one door and out of the other, just to see the place and take photos. They won't buy anything. Food is hearty, but slow in coming. At busy times, you'll pay up front for both food and drink. Drink the dunkel here. It is rather good and the atmosphere unique.

Bars, Pubs and Restaurants

Of course, Munich has pubs or bars. In the suburbs they are plentiful, but even in the city centre, or just a few streets away, are decent pubs, as you'd expect mainly to serve the local population. Don't expect much difference in the beery offerings, though, as the Munich big six dominate. A top tip though to find something more exotic is local restaurants. It is usually fine to sit outside and just have a drink, but be conscious of how busy it is if not eating. Often you'll find beers from breweries outwith Munich, but you mustn't expect too much different in terms of style. A choice of beers from Greater Bavaria, albeit helles or weissbier does make a change though, and usually the people watching is slightly different too.

In the centre you are well served by pubs from Tegernsee, Ayinger and plenty from the Big Six. Just find one you like the look of.

Beer Gardens

Drinking in Munich in summer when the weather is fine usually attracts you to a beer garden. These are plentiful, vary from massive like the Augustiner Keller to some cosier ones such as Seehaus, by a lake in the Englischer Garten. When it comes to beer gardens I'd really recommend that you use one or more of the many internet guides as you can then decide if it is what you have in mind. While they are certainly variations on a theme, all have their charms whether it be atmosphere, music, clientele or whatever, but do go.

My own favourites are probably the Augustiner Keller and perhaps oddly, the Biergarten am Chinesischen Turm, which is not so touristy as you'd think and has a fab atmosphere. Do look up beer garden etiquette before you go to avoid confusion though. There is no fee to go in, you find your own table - sharing is the norm - fetch your own beer having gone through the turnstiles ( unless there is a tablecloth when it is waiter service) and pay the cashier as you leave the turnstile area. Cash is preferred, but cards are much more normal now. Food is always available and you select your own and pay on the way out of the serving area. You can bring your own food, but not drinks, which will be from just one brewery. And you may have to pay a deposit on your glass, which can be a bit confusing to redeem. Just watch the Germans and do what they do and you'll get the hang of it.

So there you have it. Munich is an easy-going beer drinking city. You will find Germans having a drink with breakfast, lunch and dinner. They will watch the world go by with a cold half litre bottle bought from a shop - that's fine if you want to. There are hidden gem beer gardens and stalls and kiosks in public parks, as well as massive beer halls and more. If the weather is fine, drink the occasion and even if the beer is a bit samey, relax and take in the scene, remembering, if you can, that the beer is just an accompaniment to your enjoyment!

One thing to note is the German people generally are very pleasant and usually happy to pass the time of day with you. A bit of German helps, but they love to practice their English.

Munich is very walkable and flat, but public transport, while not exactly cheap, is plentiful.

If you are wondering what to do if you are in Munich in winter or when it is pissing wet, both of which I have experienced, just hunker down inside. You'll be fine. Better than fine. Pubs, beer halls and restaurants will be rammed and a lot of fun.

A Bitter Lesson in Birmingham

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 10:54:00 +0000

While many members of the Campaign for Real Ale were sceptical about moving the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF) from its London home to the NEC in Birmingham, it is doubtful if many of us were prepared for how badly it would turn out. A whopping £320,000 loss was surely not in anyone's mind, and must have exceeded by far the worst case scenario presented in the business case for it.

As someone who has worked at countless Great British Beer Festivals and organised or jointly organised the National Winter Ales Festival and latterly for a number of years, the Manchester Beer and Cider Festival - a large event in a very beery city - the thing that haunts you most is "Will anyone turn up and if they do, will they come in enough numbers to at least break even?" You spend countless hours beforehand trying to size and scale the event to appeal to as many visitors as possible, and to offer them an attractive event that will make that, not only possible, but likely enough to write it all down in a proper business case and then convince the Campaign's Festival Scrutineers that it can be done. In our case, and I'm sure at the NEC, organisers are getting hourly door counts to see how things are going. Firstly you need to pay the rent and if numbers look good, it is likely that the other main expense - beer - will take care of itself. The relief when you see the numbers adding up is palpable.

I can only imagine the GBBF organiser's horror as door numbers were absorbed and the realisation that it wasn't going to be a success, and actually reaching the dreadful conclusion that the main question to consider was "How bad is it going to be?" It is likely that realisation at the organising end of things, was an early one and that in the meantime, the show must go on. That must have been hard and I truly feel for them.

The Campaign, to its credit, did not try and hide the true horror of the loss and while it is easy to be wise after the event, the NEC did not appeal to many old hands for many fairly obvious reasons. It wasn't in a big city centre. The area wasn't that attractive and transport links would likely mean that casual visitors were unlikely and there would be no or little after work crew dropping in. Above all, the NEC isn't an attractive building like Olympia, or indeed Manchester Central. However, a business case must have been made, and it is hoped that this was on merit as it is tempting to some to think that holding this flagship event after cancellation the year before, was a now or never decision.

So, what next for CAMRA? The GBBF in its two forms (The winter event which was the National Winter Ales is now GBBF Winter) will now not take place, and likely will never take place again. There will be a huge tightening of belts. Writing to members Ash Corbett-Collins the National Chairman wrote:

The Great British Beer Festival and its Winter counterpart did not attract enough visitors to cover the cost of holding them, resulting in a substantial loss.
Our membership figures – like many other organisations – are simply not growing. The hard truth is we are unlikely to return to pre-2020 levels.
Our festivals are getting more expensive to hold, with fewer affordable venues.
The cost of running a membership organisation and business is also increasing.

Ash finished as follows:

"While I hoped I would never need to send this message, my number one priority is seeing our Campaign survive and thrive. Our 50 plus year history must be protected and I am determined to see CAMRA continue for the next 50 years.

Doing nothing is not an option. If we do not act now, the stark reality is we will not exist in the future."

CAMRA though, is not alone in this existential threat. All voluntary organisations are suffering the same effect. Younger people have other priorities nowadays. Either way, it does suggest that big CAMRA beer festivals will slowly die out as members get too decrepit for the physical effort. Demographics do tell the story here, and actually as folks get older, maybe targeting retirees than hopefully pursuing younger members is a better way of doing things, but this would inevitably change what we do - and in fact this is happening already. Some festivals have been cancelled as there just aren't enough able volunteers

As I wrote on Seeing the Lizard's blog, Birmingham was CAMRA's Ardennes Offensive* - a last tilt and throw of the dice for GBBF, and while not as devastating, it will hasten an inevitable retreat. Though a collapse of the Campaign is unlikely - assuming it can overcome the loss - it will likely presage an emphasis on local campaigning and indeed, socialising, which is still an attractive part of the Campaign. (The national picture isn't always a main concern locally anyway.) While us old gits are still alive we'll carry on and there will still be a bit of national lobbying while super complainant status is still with us. After that? Who knows, but it is hardly a bright picture overall.

In the meantime, as long as real ale - cask conditioned beer exists - there is a case to promote and protect it. That presently, at least, means CAMRA, but the reputational damage is immense and the shock to the finances a heavy blow. I support Ash in steadying the ship, but he is correct to highlight the writing on the wall.

* The German's final large scale attack to ward off the inevitable defeat in the West during World War 2.

I also know that the cost of hiring venues, large and small is getting beyond CAMRA's means in many cases. Beer festivals are more difficult than ever, generally.

Boddies Going Down a Storm

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 10:15:00 +0000

Since my last post on the subject, I have been reading on social media that the new JW Lees version of Boddies is meeting with much approval from the cask drinking public and, importantly, from publicans.

It is of course still largely in its Manchester homeland, and probably not straying too far even in the North West, but it will I’m sure in time. I note that such fine establishments such as the Fox and Pine in Oldham - CAMRA's Greater Manchester Pub of the Year say it is flying out and in Stockport, the newly re-opened Crown run by the same team as the award-winning Petersgate Tap, is shifting the stuff at a rate of knots, selling their three casks in 24 hours. Of course, at the moment there is a large novelty factor at play, but speaking to folks in my local Lees pubs, who have been quizzing me about it, it is clear that it has definitely piqued interest locally, not least of all from the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham and the Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Suzuki.

Boddingtons
Cream of Manchester
“By’eck, it’s gorgeous”!!! pic.twitter.com/ozBFF0cGd9
— Hiroshi Suzuki (@AmbJapanUK) September 5, 2025

The reputation of the beer will be enhanced to travellers, too, as it is being sold by the Piccadilly Tap and the Victoria Tap, at the city's main railway stations. Maybe passengers, nipping in for a pint will spread the word?

There has been a bit of minor grumbling about whether the beer is true to the original, but of course, the question to pose when that arises, is "Which original version?" as it is clear that Boddingtons Bitter changed many times over the years, though nobody can say with any certainty when the halcyon version was, or when it changed from that. Beer memories are fickle and subjective, so it is better surely to take this view as expounded by Boak and Bailey, which I regard as entirely sensible.

"A perfect historical recreation might work as a one-off special, which people would seek out once, as a novelty. But this needs to be a beer that will sell in 2025. That it reminds people of how it felt to drink the original* is good news in that regard. (*As someone pointed out in that social media discussion, there is no ‘original’. In reality, the beer changed and evolved over the course of decades.")

I will be keeping my eye on it from my perspective as CAMRA's JW Lees Brewery Liaison Officer of course - as well as from my own interest - and will report back from time to time. In the meantime, it has given a bit of a buzz to the cask ale market and that, for sure, is a good thing.

I am told that Boddies is also available in JW Lees Rain Bar, but this isn't verified and there are other places in the city too, so plenty of chances to try it should you be so inclined.

Munich Observations Part Two

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 08:35:00 +0000

You’ve already had the lowdown on some of the beers we enjoyed in Munich, but man – and indeed woman – does not live by Helles alone (though in Munich you certainly could have a decent attempt). As I mentioned before, E took quite a shine to Augustiner Pils. Alas her attempts to sample a few different pils along the way were thwarted. Sadly, you can’t find Pils on draught anywhere, and for reasons best known only to themselves, Spaten insist on offering the dreadful Beck’s as their bottled pils in their most prestigious outlets. It appears Spaten Pils, which I recall was a lovely beer, is no longer brewed. A real shame. In fact, Spaten it seems, only brew Helles in both normal and alcohol-free forms and, of course, an Oktoberfest.

It gets worse. The whole shooting match of Spaten-Franziskaner-Löwenbräu-Gruppe is owned by AB InBev, who presumably have streamlined the brands available, though under the Franziskaner brand you'll also find weissbier and a kellerbier. Like Spaten, the rather delightful Löwenbräu Pils has been dropped. It is a pretty grim picture as the odd hoppy pils provided an alternative to Helles, which in its Munich iteration, can be a little sweet, and dare I say, bland? (The locals call it “süffig”, meaning “easy to drink”. And, in fairness, it is.

Less common, but sitting just above pils in strength, you'll find Augustiner Edelstoff, a delicious export style or "spezial" beer. Tegernsee also produce one, though this is harder to find. Expect around 5.6%.

So what other beers can you find in Munich? Well, aside from helles, the most common is weizen – wheat beer – also known as hefe-weizen or weissbier. It’s a hugely popular summer refresher, and unlike pils, every major Munich brewery makes one. Such is its popularity that wheat beer is almost always available on draught, not just in the big beer gardens but in most pubs and bars around the city. Bottled versions are everywhere too, though in busier places you’ll usually be served beer from the tap, unless you specifically ask for a bottle. The standard pour is half a litre, and I enjoyed quite a few of them in my week in Munich.

The differences between the big Munich brands are subtle, with one notable exception: Schneider. They’re specialists in wheat beer and produce a broad range of excellent and distinctive brews. Interestingly, they haven’t brewed in Munich since 1943, when in a losing encounter with the Royal Air Force, their brewery was destroyed. These days, production continues in Kelheim, where the wheat beer tradition is still going strong. More of this in Part 3.

Dunkel bier varies between light and dark brown and is malt accented. It seems a minority taste these days, though I do recommend the Hofbräu version which is fuller bodied, darker and tastier than most. You'll also find the noted strong beers in bottle in most of the bigger places - and at very reasonable prices too. But beware, these are usually over 8% abv and should be sipped cautiously, not necked. Well known examples are Paulaner Salvator, Augustiner Maximator, Hacker-Pschorr Animator, Hofbräu Maibock and Augustiner Heller Bock, sometimes depending on time of year. If you really want to go for it, March sees a number of "Starkbierfests" where you can certainly fill your boots..

Finally, it is worth mentioning that many of the breweries sell beer from a wooden cask, but you have to seek it out. This is sold without extraneous CO2, in wooden barrels filled from the conditioning tank in the brewery. Look out for signs saying "vom Holzfass" or sometimes "bier vom Bayrische Anstich". Often this is only at a particular time or day, but see below.

Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Ayinger and even Paulaner offer beer from wooden barrels here and there, but the only place you'll find Edelstoff sold in this manner is the Augustiner Keller, more of which in part 3 where I recommend a few decent places to drink the stuff.

It would be remiss not to mention Oktoberfest beers, made available from late August until they all consumed after Oktoberfest ends. I just missed out this time, but here at least you can usually buy them in the UK from specialist online suppliers to try for yourself. This is the optimum time to do so.

By 'eck. It's Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 09:38:00 +0000

A veritable glitterati of CAMRA North West worthies, plus the Morning Advertiser were gathered by invitation in JW Lees Brewery Cottage yesterday to learn about JW Lees newly brewed version of Boddingtons Cask Bitter and, importantly, to taste the product.

William Lees-Jones, the Managing Director, led proceedings with a canter through the history of the brand and how AB InBev, trading as Budweiser UK came to the agreement for Lees to revive the cask version of the brand which has been in abeyance for fourteen years, since it was last brewed for what was then InBev by fellow Manchester brewers Hydes. (Boddingtons at 3.4% is still brewed for keg and can at Salmesbury).It was actually interesting to learn that historically, despite its national distribution, 46% of Boddingtons production was sold in or around its North West homeland. It was also to me, at least, quite astonishing to learn that at its peak well over 300,000 barrels were produced.

The new beer will be pitched between premium and superpremium segment of the market following market research, with the byline "Cream of Manchester back on cask." It was a humorous and interesting talk before William handed over to the Brewing Director Michael Lees-Jones, who would get down to the nitty-gritty of the product. In the background, the brewing team were busily filling pints in new branded glasses while Michael described the beer as the assembled crowd eyed them thirstily.The beer is brewed with JW Lees house yeast, as the risk of cross contamination was considered too large to use a Boddington derived yeast. Originally Boddingtons was hopped with Fuggles, Goldings and Whitbread Goldings Variety, but the new beer is hopped with Goldings and Jester to give the flavour profile that is now required. This will impart a touch of grapefruit bitterness. The beer has 15.5 colour units and 29 European Bitterness Units. The original gravity is 1038, with an abv of 4%.

Pints were then handed out as Michael talked us through the taste. Foremost, this is a decently bitter beer, with the trademark creamy head and yes, the classic Boddingtons dry finish is there. This is a very good beer indeed, and many of the veteran CAMRA crew spoke approvingly of how close it was to their memory of the original. A question and answer session followed with more pints of course, and an excellent spread of food appeared while we all mingled and discussed.

So, where can you get this beer? Firstly, it won't be sold in any Lees pubs with the exception of Founders Hall, Lees showcase pub in Manchester City Centre. Lees's free trade reps are busily signing up North West outlets to the cause and eventually, it will go out to carefully selected distributors throughout the nation. JW Lees also intends to have us all back in a few months to tell us how it is going. In the meantime, there will be a What's App group for feedback.

So, there you have it. Boddies is back and it is very good. Seek it out and see what you think.

This is a very quick post as I have to go out, but I thought it worthwhile to give the basic gen about this iconic beer. Photo of William and Michel Lees-Jones and the beer and glass.

On the way out we also were given a gift box with a glass, a bucket hat and a very yellow T shirt. Fab or what?

Munich Observations Part One

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Aug 2025 13:43:00 +0000

Back from a few days celebrating my birthday in Munich, I couldn’t resist jotting down a few thoughts about my favourite city — one of Europe’s great beer capitals, most at least, would say — and how it’s changed since I was last there five years ago.

First off, we struck gold with the weather. From the moment we landed until the moment we left, the sun shone gloriously. That felt like a jackpot, especially given how grim the weeks beforehand had been, as we'd noted from various weather sites before we left. As an aside, I’ve been in Munich when the Alps pull in the clouds and leave you with nothing but drizzle and grey skies that seem to sit there forever. Not this time. This time it was beer garden weather, pure and simple. What we came for.

So, what’s different since my last visit? The biggest surprise: cash is no longer king. Germany has always been the land where a pocket full of notes and coins was essential. But now? You can get by almost entirely on cards. Even Munich’s MVV transport network is on board. No more trying to work out which way to insert the euro notes. Granted, their ticket machines remain as clunky and unintuitive as ever though the newer ones aren’t quite so bad, but with patience and pressing the English translation, you'll muddle through. Not at all cheap though since they abolished the Partner Tagescarte

In pubs and restaurants, cash is still happily accepted, but plastic works just as well. The interesting development is tipping. Traditionally not much of a thing in Germany, but now you’ll often be asked — politely, even a little awkwardly — if you’d like to add one. Five to ten percent seems to be the going rate. It’s not quite expected yet, but you can sense the shift. That gentle, apologetic ask will no doubt harden into a norm before long and as for five percent, well, that will go too, but you can always decline. Or pay more.

And what about prices? They’re a mixed bag. The good news is that Augustiner, still widely considered the city’s best beer, remains among the most reasonably priced. Quality and value is always a winning combination to enhance any drinking experience. Expect to pay under €5 for Augustiner, but more in most other places.

I don't think anyone would disagree that the most commonly purchased beer in Munich is Helles, so let's go through the card. Here we are, brewery by brewery, in order of the quality of the Helles beers that I drank:

In reverse order - that is worse first:

Hacker Pschorr: Dull, sweetish with some good malt characteristics. The head disappears without a trace, and the beer itself is pretty underwhelming, leaving you with the feeling that something is missing.

Spaten: A very appealing light bronze colour and appearance, but this beer has no zing. Dryish, thin, and again head retention stinks. No real hop presence. Drink it quickly for best results.

Paulaner: Middle of the bunch. Less sweet than HP, its stable mate, but despite an appealing biscuity malt nose, it is rather thin and underwhelming.

Loewenbrau: Decent beer with a good mouthfeel, a fresh flavour and a slight hop finish. Again, drink it quickly to get the most enjoyment.

Hofbrauhaus: A step up in quality. Good biscuity malt, some peppery noble hops just about say hello. Better head retention and overall gives an impression of a well-made beer.

Schneider: Very decent helles, which ticks all the boxes. Malty and slightly sweet with a touch of peppery hops. An easy-going quaffer with some character.

Ayinger: Clean, golden beer with a more steely backbone and a fuller body. Usual biscuit / bready notes to a clean, slightly herbal hop finish.

Tegernsee: Dry, clean and crisp with some bready malt. Gentle hop finish. Satisfying.

Augustiner; Fresh straw coloured beer, some hop nose and presence, good body with fresh malt notes and floral hops. Balance is much better here in this refreshing beer. One isn't enough.

Of course this is just my opinion and nearly all make a reviving drink on a hot day. Head retention was poor in most and all would benefit - at least in eye appeal - from etched glassware, but again, that's just opinion. I like a head on my beer.

I would say that Augustiner was the winner by quite a distance. There is just something about the beer that sets it apart.

Next I'll discuss pubs, beer gardens and weizenbier.

Oh and the best beer by a considerable distance was Augustiner Pils, which E drank when she could. Bottled only and a cut above Helles in my opinion. An honourable mention goes to Augustiner Edelstoff.

A Very Mixed Bag

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 10:09:00 +0000

While in Manchester the worst and more noisy aspects of bathroom replacement were taking place, we fled to London to get some peace and quiet and, importantly, to be able to have a shower. The re-instating of our bathroom is still taking place, alas with no shower yet, but reassuringly, the connections are there, so it is a matter of time. In the meantime, I have had to resort to washing in the sink again. I say again, because my sister reminded me of our early days at our granny's in Castle Douglas, where that was the daily way of doing things until, once a week, we bathed in a zinc bath in the outhouse. I must say, washing in such a way today is more vexatious than it seemed then.

It is a while since I have spent a week in London and of course, despite the reason and a determination to act as normally as possible, we did tend to treat it as a holiday. And why not?

Given that we had struck lucky with the weather, we determined to get out and about, but we started in the usual way with a pint or two in the Aldgate Tap, having previously had a quick pint in its sister, the Euston Tap. Now both sell cask beer, but also tend to have a good choice of German beer, so, given the temperature of around 30C, that's what we plumped for in both places. The choice was good with at least three beers in each and the standard Bitburger which actually, for a mass-produced beer, is both dry and bitter.

The next day, in a nod to our good intentions, we went shopping to Waitrose - it is nearest - and to be fair, we mainly ate in for a change. Later that day, I had the pleasure of meeting, by arrangement, with fellow beer writer Laura Hadland. We met in a well thought of pub, the Old Fountain at Old Street which sells a range of cask beers, but my pint of Five Points Gold wasn't up to much and Laura's Oakham was very much end of cask. Fortunately, as often is the case, the company and conversation more than made up for it. Then it was a quick bus trip for me to another favourite, the Sutton Arms where the cask was just fine, though the choice didn't appeal, so I switched to Ayinger German lager when E arrived to join me.

On Wednesday afternoon, we took a very hot number 15 bus to a new pub. Another Bloomsbury Leisure pub, this time on the Strand and a big bugger too, featuring Czech Budvar- and cask too, though I didn't try it. Stranded is aiming to sell beer the Czech way - in oversized glasses with a big head. The measures are two thirds, and it was fun to watch the attempts to pour correctly and then the services of a Czech beer and bar expert - who clipped the assorted staff behind the ear as she showed them how it was done. Shame she poured the excess beer away, though Jon Dalton, the owner and an old acquaintance of mine, was kind enough to give us a couple on the house. We wish him well and certainly go there. The dark is particularly recommended and while Jon has high hopes that the Czech pours will take off, he remarked that it was a bit of a punt as the presentation is unfamiliar to most Brits.

Thursday saw us in Brighton, where I had not been before. Suffice to say, a very hot day, so no cask beer was supped, but I thoroughly recommend the Hole in the Wall - thanks Retired Martin - and of course the Evening Star. Though we didn't spend too much time in the pub given the glorious sunshine, we will certainly go again, and the railway station is a thing of beauty which entirely gobsmacked me. More pubs to try for sure too.

On Friday, another new pub, the Hand and Marigold in Bermondsey. Thanks for the tip, Will Hawkes. This is a fab place with top-notch cask beer and is well worth a visit. It is air-conditioned too and the welcome was genuinely warm. Then we bumped into an old BSF colleague, Caroline who will manage the Dutch and Belgian Bar at GBBF this year. She persuaded us to go to Dutch Taproom - It ain't much, if it ain't Dutch - - where the beers were strong and pricey, but excellent.

On Saturday we went out to Jack Duignan's new gaff, the King's Arms in Bethnall Green. No issues with beer quality there, and the Charrington IPA went down well. Another positive tick for London cask. We took the long route via the Peacock, another Will Hawkes recommendation. We were the only customers for a few minutes in this splendidly renovated pub in a housing estate. Very pubby, and the guy in charge was great as he explained he had very few beers on due to the cellar dispense equipment suffering a losing encounter with an untethered gas bottle the previous night. I didn't fancy the cask choices of Five Points Pale and Landlord, but the Guinness on an 80/20 mixture was rather good as a substitute. We will be back.

Sunday, after watching Tweedy Pubs - I'm a big fan - we nipped across Tower Bridge to Bermondsey again, but alas, our target, the Victoria, while scheduled to be open was firmly closed with no way of telling why. A great pity this, as just look at it. A beauty. We hopped back to Borough High Street for another Will Hawkes recommendation, the Blue Maid, but beforehand stopping off at another old haunt, the King's Arms. Alas, my pint of Harvey's Best was north of 17C in temperature - bad old London showing up like Banquo's ghost at last. No excuse here as a fair bit of cask was somehow still being sold, and in winter, I have had pretty good pints here in what is a decent pub. Get the cooling mended for goodness’ sake and stop doing this.

Our final pub was the Blue Maid. This is a fantastic looking place. Someone has spent serious money here and it shows. Two cask beers on offer, but I have decided that I actually dislike Five Points Best and didn't want a 3.4% Burning Sky offering. What a warm welcome too from the Ozzy barman - manager maybe - but talk about eye watering prices? 2.8% beers for north of £7.50? Me neither. But £5 a pint for cask? Well done, and the taste I had was fine, though I opted for London Black as my last pint of the trip. E enjoyed a very expensive Ginger Beer and the pleasure it gave her was worth the price, so maybe they are on to something after all.

To sum up. The new pubs were tremendous, the beer everywhere was expensive, so much so, that I was warned about £8 plus pints more than once. Having said that, in the main those who take cask beer seriously, price it to go - as is wise with any perishable product - and those that don't - just avoid the buggers, though it may cost you a few quid to compile your black list. They do cask beer and their customers no favours in selling it at 17C or higher degrees at top dollar.

It was great to bump into my beer judging pal, Paul Davies at Anspach and Hobday. He is a really nice person, and we had a good catch up. Having already met Caroline Debenham by accident, it just shows how small and connected the beer world is.

Finally, a big shout-out to Heritage Brewing of Burton on Trent. Both their Masseys and Charrington IPA were excellent.

I Was Right Then

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 23 May 2025 14:19:00 +0000

Did you know that Cask Marque has an area on their website where you can report beer quality problems directly to them? Well, it has. To the point, it is called "Bad Beer Reporting Tool". That's what you need - something that tells it as it is.

I once used it a while ago and can't exactly remember when, where or why, but I was moved to do so again after a recent experience in London, which, as part of a piece about a recent Belgian Trip, I mentioned here. To recap, I paid £7 for an extremely lacklustre pint of Landlord in the Cask Marque listed Hoop and Grapes in Aldgate, which is a Nicolson's pub.

Now I have had many a pint in Nicolson's pubs and while they aren't always brilliant, they are usually dependable, though often a bit unadventurous. In fact, I praised them here, for great pints in the Lord Aberconwy adjacent to Liverpool Street Station and I don't think that is untypical. Of course, it is a truism that the pub is only as good as the boss that runs it and sets the standards, a fact that is rather unwisely overlooked. Check out the person in charge if you can, and watch how they operate to get a feel for the pub. If the boss is slovenly, it is likely that the pubs will be the same. The best managers are always keeping a darting sideways eye on things, even when doing something else.

But I digress. What of my complaint about the Hoop and Grapes? In a reply to me, Cask Marque advised me that they failed their recent Cask Marque inspection visit - hopefully after my complaint - and they will be inspected again, after which they will let me know the outcome.

Well, I at least am not at all surprised to learn that, but it is good to know. It clearly wasn't just a duff pint on the night, but a general failure which presumably resulted in countless substandard pints.

So, it is worth a complaint to Cask Marque, particularly if you feel the problem is likely systemic rather than a one-off? You can easily look up a pub's inclusion or otherwise on the internet. They sign up to all this, so you aren't grassing them up, rather, you are holding them to their side of the bargain.

And what can be fairer than that? After all, it is your money and experience that is immediately at stake, and in the wider sense, the reputation of cask ale.

Incidentally, Nicolson's were included in my original and subsequent complaints on X. Either they chose to ignore it - surely they have meedja persons employed for such things? - or they didn't notice it, which is poor

Next, they should actually put prices on their beer, so you can decide or not whether to pay the ransom for a pint in the quality lottery. Given price inflation, that is something all pubs need to do. Where else do you buy something without knowing the price first?

Karmeliet on the Kust

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 May 2025 09:12:00 +0000

You know how, when you venture into foreign parts, sometimes you just get stuck on a particular beer? Well - that.

This little adventure was a short three-day hop over to Belgium. Ostend, specifically. The plan? Ride the legendary Kusttram—basically a scenic tram that glides up and down the Belgian coast from De Panne near France to Knokke-Heist near the Dutch border. It's supposedly one of the longest tram routes in the world, and it sounded like just the kind of gentle, beer-accompanied exploring we needed.

Our journey began in different ways. The other two lads came to London on Tuesday for our Eurostar 13.01 departure, while I came down the night before to check our flat was still in one piece. This allowed me to have a lie in and have the chance to be fleeced of seven of your British pounds for a substandard pint of Landlord - but that's another story. It also allowed me to have a full English breakfast and a couple of leisurely pints in the Betjeman Arms in St Pancras Station. As an aside, it might be pricey, but what a grand place that is inside and a good spot for people watching outside. Worth it as a treat, for sure.

Eurostar is fab, but the check in area is far too small, but we had decent seats on the train and soon were belting through France at an agreeable number of kilometres per hour. On time and comfortable. Excellent. On arrival in Brussels, we did the only sensible thing: found a bar, ordered beers, and toasted our escape. Sunshine, Hoegaarden in a comically large glass, and that undefinable hum and buzz of a city not our own. We just enjoyed it and watched the goings on, going on. Eventually, we grabbed our (very senior-discounted) train tickets—just €8.50 to any station in Belgium!—and made our way to Ostend. Our accommodation was on the 7th floor, with views of the casino and, somewhere beyond, the North Sea. But before we even found the place, there were the inevitable wrong turns and a pit stop for more beers

It was there, in the friendly and very pubby De Klokke - just round the corner from our abode as it turned out - we encountered what proved to be a bit of a nemesis - for two of the company at least - Tripel Karmeliet. Now, this Abbey beer is rather easy to drink. Brewed with three grains - wheat, barley and oats, it is as smooth, presumably from the oats, as the smoothest of smooth things, but hides its 8.3% brilliantly. But it has a deadly kick for those that choose to sup it with a degree of recklessness. Fortunately, it wasn't entirely to my taste and I settled when in De Klokke - yes we went more than once - for a boys beer - Leffe Blonde at a mere 6.6%. Full of common sense, me.

We only had a couple, then found where we were staying, dumped the bags and went straight out. It turned out there was a decent seam of pubs nearby, so we tried a few, drinking various Tripels, until somewhat predictably, we ended up in a kebab house at midnight, necking Duvel from the bottle. We, also predictably, slept like babies and were up in decent shape for the main event: the Kusttram.

It would be pretty boring to relate all our activities, but we did try a variety of beers and places. If your Belgian drinking has been mainly in big cities such as Antwerp, Brussels and Ghent, I observed it was rather different on the North Sea coast. We were disappointed with Blankerberge, both as a town and as a place to drink. Graham and I had been there before, and we had fond memories of it. But we found ourselves in a town which bore no comparison to our recollection. At all. Everything seemed to have been modernised beyond recognition - shiny and sterile, not charming and cosy. We were armed with pub recommendations from our good friend Mr Protz, but couldn't find the first at all - we think it had closed - and the second, the Terminus, by the main tram stop, was just generic and nondescript. So modern it looked, that we asked if it was new, but were advised it had been there for over a hundred years. Oh. Really? Like the UK, it seemed things had changed in the many years since our last visit, but not for the better.

We liked De Haan though. A charming and traditional looking small town, where we watched some pretty fast cycling - something the Belgians take very seriously, with closed roads, marshalls, police, and crowds. We slaked our thirst in interesting Bar Roger, which sported plenty of breweriana, and a decent beer list. Gueuze Boon for me and Tripels for the lads. A couple more in a modern place where more Karmeliet was consumed, and back to Ostend, and our local area, with lots of Karmeliet for my companions, and a variety, mostly Leffe Blond, for me. The night was topped off by another kebab at a different place at silly o'clock, of which only one of us had any recollection at all. As I'm writing about it - me - of course. Mr Sensible.

On the next day, we fared rather better heading south towards France, where the tramline ends. Interesting views of miles of sandy beaches, and a plethora of what seemed to be holiday lets, as one small town rolled into another. At least on this coast, architectural merit didn't seem to be even on the planner's distant thoughts. On the way, we chatted to an old Belgian man, wondering if, as we neared the French border, would the language change from Dutch to French. He assured us, proudly, it would not. Alighting in De Panne, in our first pub, oddly named as Itz a Pub, we were greeted with a cheery "Bonjour" from the owner and all we heard everywhere after that was French, which helped us communicate. So much for Flemish pride.

The town itself was nothing great to speak of, but we could imagine how busy it would be in the summer, as indeed we could see elsewhere. At the time of our visit, not much was open, but you could see preparations being made everywhere. However, as in Ostend, pubs/bars were all busy considering it was midweek and we had great conversations in both La Grand Place where we went by mistake and in the one right next door, Café des Bains, where we had intended to go. Table service was the norm in most places with beers, generally priced around €4.50 - €5 or a fair bit more for exotics. Not bad at all, really. Each order was accompanied by a small snack such as nuts or crisps.

We approached the last evening with more caution, as we had to be up and out early to get back to Brussels. The Eurostar Terminal there is more comfortable than St Pancras, and we had an uneventful journey back, with my two jaded companions eschewing a last drink in Euston Station. Maybe they would have been tempted by Karmeliet? Or maybe not!

Would I recommend Ostend and the Belgian Coast? Well, yes - the tram is fun - but I'd likely say go in summer when things are in full swing and a lot more lively. What about Tripel Karmeliet? It is certainly a well-made beer, but a bit hefty for swigging, though I should probably ask my friends about that.

My £7 pint was in the Hoop and Grapes in Aldgate, a Nicolsons house. Really poor it was too. If you are going to serve £7 pints, make sure they are in the toppest of condition, or at least display the price clearly.

It was also good to see Hoegaarden widely available in the North Sea Coast area. It may be big brewery beer, but it is still a classic of the Belgian Witbier style, and too rare a beast in the UK these days.

Northern Restaurant and Bar

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 11:02:00 +0000

On Wednesday I attended what is described as "The North's leading hospitality trade event. Bringing together over 9,600 visitors and 300+ exhibitors". This is an annual event and I have been going, off and on, for quite a few years. The venue is Manchester Central, the huge exhibition centre formerly known as GMex and renamed after the railway station it used to be. It was fitting that my companion for the day was my friend Graham, with whom I co-organised the Manchester Beer and Cider Festival for several years when it was held there. It felt like a sentimental return for both of us.

We went on the second day of this two-day event, mainly to see who we knew - usually many - from both publicans and local breweries - and as always to have a chat with the various other exhibitors - and certainly to sample a few beers. Firstly we had a look round to get the lie of the land, and, knowing the place as we do, we both felt that the exhibition was using more of the space than previously. This is a good thing, because the event is popular and can be very crowded. It is broadly split along the lines of food on one side and drinks on the other, with trade suppliers of everything from cutlery to glasses and electronic tills all dotted around and a central "theatre" where presentations and discussions take place.

This being the second day, it wasn't too manic, but apparently, on the previous day, it had been rammed and there were a few slightly pissed people. Even small samples of spirits, will, I suppose, do this if you have enough of them - and there were plenty of these to go at - but everyone I knew was very well-behaved and indeed I saw nothing untoward at all. In fact, the event was very civilised and well organised too.

Our first port of call, by accident as much as anything, was the bar of La Chouffe, owned now by Duvel Moortgat brewery group. A quick taster of Cherry Chouffe warmed us up in more ways than one with its 8% alcohol and as a bonus, we were both given a souvenir glass. We tucked that in our coats and set off for pastures new, being stopped on the way by a rep offering a free can of beer. Ah. No bag, so a detour to the Lipton's Ice Tea bus, saw us sorted out with a tote bag for any subsequent offerings.

I decided that my tastings should have a purpose. I'm fond of nitro stouts and there seemed to be a few on offer, so I'd try and taste them all. A benchmark need to be set, so I plumped for a beer I know. So, off to JW Lees stand for their excellent stout - which is not, strictly speaking, in the Irish style - followed by two from Theakstons. They offered Brennan's Irish Stout, which was rather sweet and chocolate forward, but with a little late bitterness. The other, Barista Stout was as expected, big on coffee and vanilla, but overall, a bit too sweet for me.

Next up was another local one. Joseph Holt's Trailblazer Stout, a beer, again I am familiar with. This is more Guinness like, and I enjoyed its tasty roast malt and its chocolate and slight smokiness. A very well-made beer. I also gained a bit of intel about a licensee change in my area, so a bit of CAMRA business too, though I was badged up as a "Beer Writer". A new one for me though was Coal Drop from Tiny Rebel. A joint venture between distributor LWC and the Newport based Tiny Rebel, this was an absolute beauty. The lads behind the bar couldn't have been nicer and the beer was excellent, with a silky body, a touch of roast malt and a smooth finish. Excellent stuff.

Final two were Brock from Thornbridge which was a little disappointing, being a tad thinner than the others and finally, BrewDog Black Heart, which was decent, but seemed to lack flavour.

So, there you have it. I must point out that all stouts were served in sample sizes of a few ounces, in various plastic "glasses", so you have to bear that in mind, though some were sampled more than once. To me the Coal Drop just edged it from Lees Stout, but I do wonder if they were tasted blind, in pint glasses, how it would all have turned out.

I wasn't alone in my stout interest, as you could observe many people asking for samples. One thing seems certain, the stout revival continues apace and I reckon we'll see a lot more brewers putting efforts into promoting it.

Other highlights were, as usual, seeing people I know and meeting brewery staff. A special mention to Iain from Greene King who was a smashing lad, and to everyone else who represented their companies with charm and good humour, despite their sore feet. It was also very gratifying to hear that many had done great business there, including some of the smaller breweries exhibiting.

I did also sample various other beers as we went round. Top of the bunch for me was Swiss brewed 1936, Birra Alpetti, a proper Italian lager and Budvar Dark. There may have been others, but it was still nice to go to the pub afterwards and drink cask from a pint glass.

And Now for the Good

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 11:57:00 +0000

Now, you'll likely be aware that London can be a minefield for the cask drinker, but it isn't always so. In this short post, I'll tell you about three places where in all probability you'll get a decent pint of the real stuff.

The King's Arms in Bethnall Green has been taken over by Jack Duignan of Sutton Arms fame. Trust me, this is good news. I've known Jack and his dad for some time now, and the Sutton Arms is another place where you can depend on the beer, both in choice and quality. They run a good pub, and they know what they are doing. On our last visit to the King's Arms, we were suffering from a substandard pint when Jack walked in. He'd only take over a matter of days before, and immediately came over for a chat. "How's the beer?" he asked. "Not great" I replied. He immediately went behind the bar, tested the beer and turned the clip around with a grimace. Work to do.

Fast-forward a couple of months and on a busy Friday night, the beer was immaculate, cool, and well conditioned. Jack was there in a social capacity, but came over and explained that he'd sorted it. Of course he had. Go there with confidence. You won't be disappointed.

On Saturday, E needed a makeup item from Boots. No luck in our nearest one, so we wandered over to Liverpool Street, where she was similarly disappointed. So - a consolation pint? Why not? We noted the Lord Aberconway on Old Broad Street and nipped in. Surprisingly, I don't recall ever being in this Nicolsons pub before, but what a good one it is. Unspoilt inside, lots of dark wood and like a real railway station pub, plenty of transient customers enjoying a swift one, augmented by various soaks, illicit looking couples and a rather good atmosphere. Staff were friendly and efficient. Among others, there was Thornbridge Jaipur on offer and boy, was it good. More than one pint good, and E was drinking it - another good sign. I noted that cask beer was flying out, which as any fool knows is rather reassuring. On this one visit, I'll recommend it, but I'll be back to be sure.

A more frequent haunt near our flat is the Culpepper on Commercial Street, a rather posh and upmarket sort of place in some ways, but we've always found it friendly enough and delight in raising the average age by at least 25 years. It is, oddly, reasonably priced by London standards and sells two cask beers, Five Point Pale and one from Mad Goose. We chose the Five Points, and it was in great condition. We perched on stools by the window watching the Sunday lunch crowd and looking forward to our own lunch in Dishoom, Shoreditch. Top tip? The window stools are great watching the Commercial Road scene.

So, there is good cask beer in London. You just have to seek it out. I'll keep you informed.

Another favourite pub is also on Commercial Road. The Commercial, a huge ex Courage roadside pub which has been re-opened after years of closure, with minimal urban chic applied. The prices are absolutely outrageous - no wonder most were drinking halves - and there is (no longer) cask beer, but if you want to see the Shoreditch mob in their native habitat, it is a good place to go. £54 for a bottle of Albarino in a grotty pub that doesn't do food? I thought not.

Dishoom is great. I've been to the King's Cross one, but the Shoreditch one is just brilliant. Great staff and food.

More About London

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 12:34:00 +0000

Let's make one thing clear. London has a fabulously diverse selection of pubs and, yes, it has to be said, some ropey cask beer. Now that's out of the way, let's concentrate on the praise - with the odd, minor criticism to liven things up.

On a cold Wednesday evening, we started as always in the Aldgate Tap. I've a bit of a soft spot for the various Taps in the Bloomsbury Leisure empire and even though this one is completely devoid of any real character, it being an architect designed lump of steel and glass, sort of plonked in a London square. Its nearness to Aldgate Tube station though, makes it a handy pit stop for those Londoners that still roll up at offices and who tend, thankfully, to spend most of their visit outside in the square, leaving the pub to wusses like me who prefer to see the bar from where I'm drinking and to avoid both smoke and cold. The pub - or is it a bar? - is adjacent to a very old church, St Botolph's, a survivor of the Great Fire of London, so it goes back a fair bit and provides a bit of contrast, as Aldgate Square is a recent invention.

There are two cask beer lines here, and they are served free flow through a wall of steel behind the bar. I always think that the beer suffers a tad when served this way, but here, while not the peak of cask conditioning, it is usually in decent nick and rewardingly in London, under a fiver a pint. The manager, John, is a great lad and always happy to chat. The staff are efficient and friendly, so we like it and enjoy it too for people watching. The London office crew in the wild is always worth a look and an earwig. They really are a genre apart and a throwback to teatime drinking, which happens less often elsewhere.

A short wander away, right under the Gherkin, you’ll find Craft - a pub that, on paper, should be an absolute gem. Soft lighting, exposed brick, big windows, loads of breweriana - ticks all the right boxes. Except… the cask beer, which, more often than not, is over-vented and flat as a pancake. My usual tactic here? Try the cask, pick the least bad one, then immediately wash it away with a pint of London Black. Works every time. That said, it’s a lovely spot - just proceed with caution when ordering the real stuff.

So two pubs in one small area of EC3. Somewhat surprisingly, I feel, as mentioned above, you can trust the cask more in the one that isn't called Craft, than the one that is, though that certainly wins as a pub.

(I'll draw a veil over the appalling beer in Fullers Trinity Bell next door to Cask. You could have poached an egg in the beer and it was flat as a pancake. Just the sort of stuff that puts people off cask forever, and not at all what you expect from Fullers managed house.)

The next day - Nunhead - Why? Honestly, because we kept seeing the 78 bus going there and thought , why not? And you know what? Great decision. The ride itself was a treat, with top-deck views as we rolled over Tower Bridge, down the Old Kent Road, through the madness of Peckham Rye’s high street, and then… Nunhead. Which, it turns out, isn’t exactly buzzing. We checked out the local bakery (nice), butcher (also nice), fishmonger (smelly), and spotted two pubs. The Shepherd Neame boozer didn't appeal - well - its Shep's innit so - not this time for the Man of Kent. So we headed into The Old Nun’s Head, more or less across the road.

It was pretty deserted mid-afternoon, but we were greeted warmly by the young barman (who confirmed no cask at the Shep's pub, so a good call) and after a taste of a local beer - awful - we settled for a Northern beer, Vocation Bread and Butter, which was fine, but needed a few more drinkers to liven it up. The pub itself was a mix of old and quirky new, and as the barman started laying out reserved signs on almost every table, it was clear this place gets packed in the evening - probably when the beer is at its best too. All in all we liked it, so it is recommended.

A short stroll through fairly villagey backstreets, and we popped out just by the Angel Oak, a fine old roadside boozer which promised - according to WhatPub - four cask beers and delivered absolutely none. Yes, I've advised the local CAMRA branch. Big windows again - they really work, I'd say. Other than us and a few local young women, a couple with babies, the pub was empty but somehow the warmth, the low chat and the lack of any music, made this a strangely enjoyable visit. We sipped our tasteless keg craft (Kona Big Wave I think) and simply enjoyed this large, but cosy bar, with attractive tables, low seats and fine views of the common and busy road outside. Despite the beer, we left with a degree of reluctance.

Last up on this jaunt, the White Horse on Peckham Rye. This is a fine old ex Charrington house, which is pretty well unspoilt inside, with much original wood panelling, a public bar in front and a well appointed (in 1970 style) lounge at the rear. A very warm welcome from the barmaid, who advised me it was happy hour, and provided me with a decent quality pint of Five Points Pale. Locals nodded and one even spoke to us. It was a journey into the past and an enjoyable one at that as we watched people, just enjoying the pub, some hardy souls even sitting outside.It would have been rude not to have a second, so we did, before nipping round the corner and the 78 back to SE1.

Summing up the trip to Nunhead, we really enjoyed the three fairly random pubs we visited. OK, the beer didn't really reach top standards, though I reckon both with real ale would have done so with a little more turnover and quality control. The Angel Oak struck me as the type of pub that would have greatly benefitted from a couple - no more - of decent cask ales. But then again, it is a Greene King House.

So, no disasters in Nunhead, Disappointment in EC3 and going back to Nunhead/Peckham, a fab afternoon out and three very different pubs, which all appealed in their own way.

Top tip if you is very old like me. Jump on a bus and see where it takes you. It is free after all. Even if it isn't, it is a great way to see London.

Shortly after, I watched a Tweedy Pubs report on the 37 lost pubs of the Old Kent Road. Only two remain. Knocked 'em in the Old Kent Road! Tweedy Pubs is well recommended.

Blogger wouldn't let me place my photo of the White Horse without distorting everything else, so there is a link instead.

London - A Small Cask Snapshot

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 11:53:00 +0000

I was in London last week for a few days and decided on a whim to have one entire day - or thereabouts - just drinking cask. "Unwise" I hear you say and of course I can see why, but arriving at a somewhat gloomy and rainy Euston and just as gloomy Aldgate, somehow pints of lager didn't appeal.

As usual, we inspected the flat and having confirmed all is well, E ritually dealt with a predictable pile of post, which nowadays is almost entirely junk and then, being creatures of habit, even though this habit is separated by weeks not days or hours, we made tracks, as we always do for the Aldate Tap.

The Aldgate Tap is very much a pub of the City. Usually in the summer, hordes of people dressed in that smart casual way of work nowadays, haunt the outside area, leaving the interior pretty free for those of us who like to sit inside and people watch. Harder to do that last Thursday though, not only had that aforementioned pesky and somewhat wintry rain driven many inside, but much of the pub - bar really - had been cordoned off for a corporate Christmas do. Bank of America, I think. And no, I couldn't find out their tab number, but there was a sprinkling of Christmas jumpers and rather a few who didn't seem that familiar with pubs.

Nonetheless, John, the Manager greeted us warmly and we quickly, being veterans in every sense, spotted a group leaving a small table and a swift wriggle later, we were seated. John recommended the Kent Brewery Goldings Bitter. It was pretty good by the third pint and unmistakeably Southermn in style. You can usually tell. It needed drinking through to "fresh from the cask", but it was a good start as we watched the amateur drinkers, unsure of what to do with empty glasses, lay them lengthwise inside each other on the floor behind tables. (I took them back to the bar before someone trod on them.) Still, it was jolly enough and the beer was under a fiver!

Next day, after lunch in Charlotte Street, we called into the next door Fitzroy Tavern. One of Sam Smith's empire, this excellent and expensively refurbished historical boozer was, sadly, almost completely empty on a Friday around half past two. Six of your British pounds for Old Brewery Bitter. It wasn't bad, but it too needed more throughput, and my pint was clearly in the lines for a bit. I'd still recommend the pub, but even by London standards, they are pushing it a bit on price, the bottles, particularly, are eye wateringly expensive. Not all Sam's pubs in London are as nice as this one, and price may be a factor in emptiness. If you pay top dollar, you want something decent from it. An empty Sam's pub offers little in terms of atmosphere. Top spotters tip? In a Sam Smith's pub, the house whisky is still labelled "Rochdale and Manor Brewery".

Moving on, through Soho and various Christmas lights, we ended up in the Strand. I've always liked the Coal Hole and we nipped in. Touristy maybe, but it is a proper pub. It was rammed, but again after a few minutes we got a table to perch at. In the meantime, I'd admonished the barman for trying to slop me with the half filled glass under the tap trick. The dodgy one being switched for the clean one he'd made sure I'd seen in his other hand. Not so fast, Matey. I was doing that to keg customers 50 years ago. A fresh pint of Titanic Plum Porter was so good, I had another. He didn't try the same trick twice. Top tip. Always watch the pour a little from the side of the pumps in tourist traps. You'll spot it and call it out easier if they try something on.

And then, another Sam's. The Lyceum is an old haunt too, and the beer there was fine in that Old Brewery Bitter sort of way. Worth six quid? No, but a busy pub which could maybe do with an upgrade.

We caught the 15 bus home and went for a last beer in the Sir Sydney Smith in Dock St. Now this is a lovely pub near our flat. A former Truman's house, it has been sensitively refurbished - it used to look as though you could film Goodnight Sweetheart without changing a thing. It was busy, and I knew trouble was afoot when the server put my glass under the handpump and splashed beer into it while pouring a half of lager. It was the worst pint of Vocation Bread and Butter I'd ever had, but I supped it quietly and left most of it. I hadn't the heart to pull this hard-working lass up about it. Someone should have trained her better.

At our table we started talking with a couple of lads who'd lived locally for a few years, They too had started on cask and abandoned it so we enjoyed Hofmeister instead and swapped tales about the area. We even exchanged details and promised to meet again.

So, while the pub didn't deliver on cask, it did on being a nice place to be in and for atmosphere and friendliness. Overall, the London cask bag was mixed, but on the whole, it could probably do better.

A bottle of Organic Cider or Perry is the equivalent of £11.84 a pint. Eek. The rest of their prices are pretty dodgy too, but the did have Dark Mild at £4. Click on image to see details.

I didn't repeat the experiment the next day, but boy is London getting expensive. £7.80 a pint for Camden Hells in an ordinary Farringdon pub?